Introducing Sartori Prosecco Minis!
An Old Fave in a New Format!
When it comes to sparkling wine, there are many (many, many…) different ways to enjoy it, from the Champagne, stashed away for the special occasion, to the quaffer your aunt chucks frozen strawberries into at the BBQ, and somewhere in the middle, sits an everyday luxury…
Prosecco has long been the ultimate ‘everyday luxury’ sparkler – Italy’s answer to affordable and quality sparkling wine, and our ever-popular Sartori di Verona Prosecco is one of the real gems in this category, so we’re very excited to introduce this old favourite to you, in a new 200ml Piccolo-sized format!
Sartori di Verona's Erfo Prosecco Brut
Sartori’s Erfo Prosecco Brut is one of the most popular wines in our portfolio for good reason. It is fantastic quality for a fantastic price.
Both critics and the public agree – it’s seriously quaffable without being boring. Yvonne Lorkin awarded it four stars, “In the late 1800’s Sartori’s trattoria was the place to frequent if you were a merchant, trader or weary traveller hunting for hearty food, good wine and a comfy place to camp. As the family concentrated more on wine, hospitality remained their focus, which is why their proseccos are especially friendly. Wild apple and acacia aromas with lemony, creamy characters, a biscuity backbone and cloud-like complexity – it’s outstanding…”
With a score of 3.8 stars on the popular public review website, Vivino, it is placed among the top 7% of all wines in the world…
“A very smooth Prosecco which is just a perfect [companion] to your summer evenings. Tiny and persistive bubbles make it easy-drinking Prosecco.”
“Nice fruity taste of pear and green leaves. Very enjoyable with notes that are commonly present in very dry or in very sweet wines, but this fits nicely in between.”
“Probably the best Prosecco I’ve had this year (and not many days left!). Brut balanced bubbles with typical pale yellow straw color, nose of banana, notes of brioche, and yellow fruit on palate.”
7 Reasons Why We Love Piccolos
“I’d never have wine left in the bottle!” is the common retort given when we talk about Piccolos being super handy. While we agree, leftovers are a pretty easy fix (bottom’s up!) there’s so much more to it. Less can be more! Like bottles, wine lovers come in many shapes and forms, and when catering to where they’re drinking (home vs. hospo), how they’re drinking (cocktails, flights etc.), and what they’re drinking (variety is the spice of life!), it leaves us with a number of reasons why Piccolos are our pick;
1. Zero Wastage:
With sparkling wine, there is nothing more frustrating than a bottle that’s lost its fizz. Lacking a Coravin Sparkling system, and with the ol’ teaspoon method being debunked, other options need to be explored. Drumroll, please… Piccolos! This issue is easy to eliminate with this perfect single-serve option. Gone are the days of sadly pouring that half bottle from last night down the sink.
2. Fridge Space:
Nobody likes playing fridge tetris, whether it be in the bar fridge or at home. This small format bottle finds it much easier to slot into the little gaps.
3. Quick Chills:
Due to the smaller volume of the bottle, Piccolos chill far quicker than their full-size pals, so if you’ve forgotten to pop them in until the last minute, you’re in luck.
4. Perfect for Cocktails!:
You can never go wrong with a good cocktail and an Italian Aperitivo is definitely an easy and crowd-pleasing choice. However, very rarely do these delicious treats call for more than a splash of the sparkles. One piccolo is the perfect for a pair of spritz’.
5. For the Commitment-Phobes:
The piccolo can be looked at as the ultimate way to try something without committing to a full 750ml. If someone’s not sold on sparklers yet, this is a great way to make sure they get a taste of perfectly cool, fresh wine and experiment without the fear of buyer’s remorse.
6. On-the-Go:
The piccolo’s are picnic-perfect! Easy to transport, easy to carry, and super easy to chuck into a lil chilly bin for an outdoorsy sip! If you’ve got these in your picnic basket, you could just pop a straw in and forgo the glass.
7. It’s Just Cute:
There’s a lot to be said about convenience, but sometimes the cute-factor is an important consideration. Little bottles of wine are cute, and really, that’s a valid reason on its own!
VinePair also reckons small-formats are on the rise in popularity. “Vive la small formats!” says Blaine Ashley, founder of New York Champagne Week & The FIZZ is Female. “[Smaller] bottles have been an ideal option for maintaining health and balance while still delighting in a wide array of sparkling wines,” she says.
“Vive la small formats!”
– Blaine Ashley
Prosecco in New Zealand
Kiwis have a unique collective-palate – perhaps due to an abundance of fantastic domestic offerings that we’re privileged to have nearby! Our Marlborough Sav’ and Otago Pinot Noir is world-class and keeps us on our toes when it comes to accepting high-quality offerings! But Champagne & Prosecco are both fast growing categories down in lil’ old Aotearoa.
“Sparkling white wine is fast becoming the drink of choice for Kiwis. Sales of prosecco, a long time favourite with Brits and Europeans alike, have increased by more than 40 per cent in this country over the past year.”
– NZ Herald, October 2020
“Entries into the sparkling category were up more than 30 per cent to more than 100 wines this year – a good indicator of growing consumer demand,” Jim Harré, New World Wine Awards chair of judges, said.
We’re not here to encourage you to blindly follow the crowd, but we gotta say we’re happy to go with the flow on this one. The rising popularity of prosecco in NZ, to us, is indicative of ever-increasing quality and dare-we-say, a population with fine taste.
About Sartori di Verona
To Juliet’s question ‘what’s in a name?’ the Sartori family would answer ‘everything!’
For over a century, Sartori has stood for traditional values elevated by innovation and a dedication to quality. Their story started in the latter part of the 1800’s, when there was a small trattoria that simply could not be missed for merchants, travellers and businessmen of the area – it was owned by one Pietro Sartori.
It was this inn and its strategic location that would turn Pietro into a wine merchant: the daily pouring over the counter made it necessary to have a steady supply of wine that was sufficient in both quantity and quality.
Thus, in 1898 grandfather Pietro bought his first vineyard in Negrar, so that the good wine would always be on the tables of his devoted clientele. In those days, horses had to carry people and goods, and Pietro rode determined to find opportunities to expand.
Today this spirit lives on in the current generation – Pietro’s great-grandchildren, still at the helm.
Cocktails We Recommend
There’s no denying that cocktails are very in ‘vogue’ right now, and they aren’t the bright traffic-light concoctions that some might expect! People are enjoying more classically styled, dry cocktails and fresh, vibrant spritzes to whet their appetites! In this spirit, check out some of our recommendations of how to enjoy the Sartori Prosecco 200mls with a special twist:
Bellini:
- Pureed white peach
- Sartori Prosecco Brut
Invented at Harry’s New York Bar in Venice, this two ingredient wunderkinder has set the tone for a lot of the sparkling wine drinks we take for granted. There would be no brekkie mimosa if it wasn’t for this tipple. Think puréed white peach topped with crisp Prosecco… Simply peach to taste and top with Prosecco. (Substitute peach for orange juice to make a Mimosa).
Negroni Sbagliato:
- 25ml Sartori Prosecco Brut
- 25ml Campari
- 25ml 144 Islands Vermouth No.2
- Orange twist, to garnish
This citrus-noted classic is bitter, herbal, rich, and most of all – supremely sophisticated. We’ve been on a bit of a negroni buzz in general here at D&N since bringing on 144 Islands Vermouth, so switching out gin for Sartori Prosecco (as the ever-iconic Emma D’Arcy suggests,) is a no-brainer. Add the Prosecco,Vermouth & Campari to a mixer with ice, then strain into a rocks glass over ice and garnish with an orange twist.
Classic Spritz:
- 90 ml La Marca Prosecco
- 60 ml Aperol
- Soda Water
- Orange Wedges To Garnish
What is more quintessentially Italian than Aperitivo? No drink sums this up more than the Spritz. Combining Sartori Prosecco with Aperol, freshly sliced orange and a touch of soda – a winning combination. This truly classic cocktail dates back to 1950’s! Fill a big wine glass ¾ with ice, add your liquids and garnish – voila!
